On Friday evening, December 3, 1999, my wife and I were on our way to the NC District Church of the Nazarene’s Christmas celebration. Before getting on the highway, we pulled into a gas station to fill up. The wind chill was below zero, which was unusually cool for North Carolina. Even though I wore … Continue reading Furnace Club
The United States of America is in a massive cultural transition. The way Boomers and Millennials approach life and process information couldn’t be any more different. Unfortunately, as culture shifts, so do the ethics and values that guide said culture. Sometimes this is for better; usually, it’s for worse. As values shift, the church should … Continue reading Shifting Sand
In middle school and part of high school, I was on the wrestling team. I was good at it. There was a technique rarely used called the “barbwire.” It became my finishing move. During that time I was consumed with wrestling. It was my identity. Later in high school, I took an interest in playing … Continue reading Identity Crisis
The “world” is a spirit or a force that opposes, attacks, and outright rejects the Spirit of Christ. Don’t be fooled by the spirit of this present age, it’s not good. In fact, Scripture teaches that the spirit of the world is antichrist: “Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This … Continue reading Spirit Of The Age
One Sunday evening on the way home from church Heather and I noticed a sign at the local animal shelter advertising “Puppy Adoptions,” so, we pulled in (mistake number one). In the past we’ve owned larger dogs, but had not owned one in several years due to our ministry assignments and living arrangements. We stopped … Continue reading Hank & Cash
Dialogue is important. It’s healthy to discuss issues, express convictions, and voice opinions prayerfully. However, when dialogue leads to continually questioning biblical truth it becomes problematic. The reason for this is there are certain teachings that are so central to Christian faith and practice that there’s no need to debate them. In fact, we shouldn’t … Continue reading Strange Teachings
Navigating the digital landscape can be challenging. At some point, we’ve all said something that wasn’t received the way it was intended. The digital world seems to magnify these unintentional missteps. Social media, while beneficial, undoubtedly leaves a void as it pertains to authentic relational connections. I’m convinced that it’s nearly impossible to really “get … Continue reading Navigating Digital Misunderstandings
Growing up, on Saturday mornings my brother and I would pour ourselves a gigantic bowl of cereal and lay in the floor in front of the television watching cartoons. We had the rabbit ears antenna on our television set; if they weren’t aimed in the right direction static interfered with the signal. However, we were … Continue reading Relational Static
Political correctness in and of itself is not a bad thing. In the simplest of terms, it’s a way of treating people with respect regardless of ethnicity, gender, race, religion, socio-economic status, and other things that have the potential to divide. According to that definition, Jesus was politically correct. He treated everyone with dignity because … Continue reading Political Correctness
General Assembly is the quadrennial gathering of the global family that is the Church of the Nazarene. Every four years delegates from all over the world come together to celebrate what God has done, discern how the Holy Spirit is leading, and make decisions about how to faithfully advance the mission of Making Christlike Disciples … Continue reading General Assembly Resolutions
Brian L Powell 